Dear Colleagues,

Throughout my work, I am reminded that research is one of the most powerful ways we fulfill our mission to advance Kentucky. Every day, faculty across the University of Kentucky are generating new knowledge, tackling complex challenges and creating solutions that improve lives throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.

In Spring 2026, we recognized our newly named 2026-27 University Research Professors, who each demonstrate excellence in their fields, spanning the full spectrum of research at UK.

Their achievements reflect the excellence, creativity and impact that define UK's research enterprise and demonstrate how faculty scholarship advances our institution and society.

Their work also highlights an important fact — transformative research happens across every college and discipline. From improving health outcomes and supporting Kentucky's agricultural economy to advancing mathematical innovations, informing public policy and expanding access to oral histories, our faculty are making a difference in countless ways.

And it is not only our University Research Professors who are driving forward innovation at UK. The power of transdisciplinary research — research that crosses disciplines and expertise, the kind of research you conduct every day — cannot be overstated.

This year has been a remarkable one for UK researchers. In fiscal year (FY) 2026, UK surpassed $500 million in research awards for the first time, reflecting the growing momentum and impact of the work being done across campus. Your research is taking us from communities and spaces in our city to beyond the farthest reaches of our atmosphere and into outer space, highlighting the reach we have as a research university. 

As we look ahead to this new academic year, I am excited about the opportunities before us. Through collaboration and a shared commitment to discovery, we will continue to strengthen our position as a university whose research is centered on our mission of advancing Kentucky and ensuring our communities are healthier, wealthier and wiser tomorrow than they are today.

To our University Research Professors and all faculty engaged in research, scholarship and creative activity, thank you for the extraordinary work you do for our communities and our Commonwealth.

Robert DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

I hope that the summer has brought you some moments of rejuvenation and rest — campus has undergone a dramatic shift in energy now that students have returned and the fall semester has begun in earnest.

I want to welcome each of you, whether you are returning to campus or new to UK, to a semester filled with opportunities to stimulate students’ curiosity, generate breakthroughs in your research or extend healing to our patients most in need of care.

That is the mission of a university that was created to serve its state — to advance our Commonwealth in all we do, through teaching, research, service and care. And that is the work that you perform each day.

Last academic year, we reached milestones that helped mark the progress we are making in our mission:

• We awarded more than 8,000 degrees and 1,700 certificates.
• In Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), UK research and development generated $1.02 billion in economic activity across Kentucky.
• In FY25, UK HealthCare also exceeded 72,500 discharges, an increase from just over 20,000 annually 20 years ago. 

These milestones are made possible because of what you do for our students and our communities: passing along knowledge outlined in your lesson plans; discovering new questions and paths of inquiry on the way to innovative breakthroughs in your research; and extending kindness alongside care to patients most in need.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with this year’s cohort of WELD, a faculty and staff leadership development program, and I encouraged them to embrace leading as learners and rely on colleagues and team members for their specific skills. We discussed transdisciplinary approaches to bring together and respect the great expertise each of you have in your disciplines. 

That is why we have such a marked impact on Kentucky and those we serve. By working together and combining our respective knowledge and capability, we are able to do more than we could ever accomplish alone.

This academic year, I hope you find new and exciting opportunities in partnering with other faculty, students and staff to begin building new paths to innovation, discovery, service and healing for Kentucky.

Welcome back and thank you for being part of our UK community.

Robert DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Dr. James Buss has accepted the offer to serve as our next dean of the Lewis Honors College, effective July 1.

Dr. Buss is an outstanding honors educator, leader and scholar — he founded the Honors College at Northern Kentucky University and the Clarke Honors College at Salisbury University, helping build upon rich traditions of honors education at both institutions.

As dean of the Honors College at Ball State University, a role he has held since 2023, Dr. Buss helps elevate honors education as a practice and transformative experience for students. He has helped grow the Honors College to new heights, welcoming more than 600 first-time students in Fall 2025, a first in the college’s history.

Dr. Buss is also a prolific scholar, publishing books, book chapters, peer-reviewed articles and papers in both his field of history and honors education. He is an engaged representative of honors education both at his institution and across the nation.

The Lewis Honors College plays a pivotal role in providing a well-rounded and rigorous liberal arts education for its students to prepare them to be leaders, scholars and creators of the future. As we continue to serve more students across Kentucky, the Lewis Honors College will continue to grow its community of motivated and talented students, faculty and staff. I am confident Dr. Buss will not only contribute to its growth, but he will help the community thrive in the process. 

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Buss to the UK community. And I would also like to thank Dr. Laura Bryan for serving as interim dean and helping guide the Lewis Honors College with such dedication to its mission of serving its students. 

Thank you for all you continue to do to help UK advance our Commonwealth. 

Robert DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to inform you that Dr. Michael Renfro has agreed to serve as interim dean of the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, effective June 1.

Dr. Renfro joined UK in 2015 as a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and served as chair of the department until 2023. He currently serves as the associate dean for faculty affairs and facilities in the Pigman College of Engineering, helping lead tenure and promotion processes and faculty development. 

As chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Dr. Renfro led the development of new curriculum and degree programs, including bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in aerospace engineering. He helped the department grow enrollment of undergraduate students by 18% and graduate students by 20%, and he grew the number of department faculty and staff by more than 20% each.

Dr. Renfro is also an active researcher and student mentor. He has received more than $30 million in total funding as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator, and his current research focuses on optical diagnostics applied to power production and high temperature systems. 

He has also advised multiple doctoral and master’s students and more than 40 undergraduate student projects. He teaches courses in thermodynamics and fluid dynamics at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. 

Dr. Renfro’s experience will be invaluable as the college and its positive impact on our state and region continue to grow, helping prepare more students to be the future engineering leaders of Kentucky and beyond. Please join me in thanking Dr. Renfro as he steps into this critical leadership role for our Pigman College of Engineering community and our university.

Thank you for continuing to advance Kentucky in all that you do.

Robert DiPaola 
Provost 

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to inform you that Dr. Chris Clifford has agreed to serve as interim dean of the Gatton College of Business and Economics, effective July 1.

Dr. Clifford currently serves as department chair and DuPont Endowed Chair in Banking and Financial Services in the John Maze Stewart Department of Finance and Quantitative Methods. Under his leadership, the department doubled enrollment, expanded faculty excellence in research and teaching and launched new programs, including Wall Street Scholars.

He began at UK as an assistant professor of finance in 2008 and was a Clark Materials Endowed Fellow in 2015. He became associate professor and Phillip Morris Endowed Professor in 2016.

Dr. Clifford is a dedicated scholar and educator within the college, and his research interests focus on non-banking intermediaries such as financial advisors, mutual funds and hedge funds. His work has been published in various journals, including the “Journal of Finance” and the “Journal of Financial Economics.” In 2024, he was awarded the Gatton Research Productivity Award for his outstanding contributions to the field’s body of knowledge.

Prior to working in academia, Dr. Clifford worked as an analyst in the hedge fund industry, helping bring real-world experience to students in finance, fund management and investments.

Dr. Clifford’s experience in the finance industry and the classroom and his expansive research portfolio, coupled with his leadership of his department, will enable him to continue working with the faculty, staff and students to build an engaging and supportive community within the Gatton College of Business and Economics. I am confident that our Gatton College of Business and Economics students will continue thriving through hands-on, experiential learning and innovative teaching with his leadership.

Please join me in thanking and congratulating Dr. Clifford as he steps into this role. And thank you for continuing to advance Kentucky in all you do.

Robert DiPaola
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As we approach the end of another spring semester and academic year, I want to express my deepest gratitude to each of you. The work that you do for our university and our community, in partnership with each other, staff and students, has an impact far beyond what I could express in a message. 

You are uncovering new realms of possibility through timely and impactful research. In your labs and clinics, you are redefining what it means to be the University of, for and with Kentucky by helping solve the most complex issues our communities face. 

You are extending healing and compassionate care throughout every corner of our state. Your efforts enable us to not only provide care to our communities, but to train and prepare a new generation of vital health care professionals. 

You are helping create new opportunities for students to learn, discover and create — opportunities for students to achieve their full potential and explore the paths that a UK education provides them. 

Each semester, I continue to be proud to call each of you my colleagues, and I am humbled to work alongside you as we continue advancing Kentucky.

Thank you for all the work you do on behalf of this university. If you have not already made plans to join in celebrating our students at Spring Commencement, you can RSVP and learn more at https://commencement.uky.edu/faculty. 

Robert DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

Each spring, I look forward to celebrating our new graduates as they cross the stage at Commencement. I invite you to join me in congratulating them as they embark upon new journeys.

Your dedication to each of your students is a large part of the reason why they reach this remarkable achievement. Your work in the classroom, laboratory, clinic and other educational spaces has helped guide students during their years at UK.

I encourage you to join in celebrating our students as they transition from one chapter to the next. This milestone is as much a testament to their accomplishments as it is to your meaningful contributions — your dedication to their success will resonate well beyond this moment.

Please RSVP on the Commencement website by April 24, and additional day-of instructions will be emailed the week of Commencement. You can contact commencement@uky.edu if you have any questions.

Thank you for continuing to support our students and investing in their educational journeys.

Robert DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As previously communicated, Dean Rudy Buchheit has accepted the role of provost at the University of Cincinnati. He will be stepping down as dean of the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering May 29, 2026. Therefore, it is necessary to appoint an interim dean to lead the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering until a permanent successor is selected.

Advisory Committee Nominations
 
I will be forming an advisory committee of faculty, staff and students from the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering and meet with them to solicit their recommendations for interim dean candidates. If you would like to nominate an individual(s) to serve on the advisory committee, please click here.

Interim Dean Nominations

In addition, members of the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering community are welcome to suggest names of candidates to serve as interim dean. Please click here to submit your recommendation for an interim dean, including a brief justification. All submissions will be treated confidentially. 

To ensure full consideration for both advisory committee membership and interim dean recommendations, please submit your nominations no later than noon on Friday, April 24. 
 
Based on the input from the advisory committee and the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering community, I will consider recommended candidates and engage in discussions with those of interest. With this critical input, I will select an interim dean and announce the appointment shortly thereafter.
 
Thank you in advance for your assistance in this important matter.
 
Robert S. DiPaola  
Provost

Dear Colleagues, 

At UK, faculty professional development is vital as we continue building skills needed to prepare students for success in their journeys after graduation. Leadership is one of those skills important for faculty to develop as you grow in your career. 

The Office for Faculty Advancement (OFA) helps select and prepare faculty for the Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program (SEC ALDP). This program helps prepare future academic leaders for roles within institutions at various SEC campuses and beyond.

Through intensive workshops and on-campus programming, aimed at providing growth and learning opportunities for participants, SEC ALDP enriches fellows’ knowledge and understanding of major issues and challenges across the higher education landscape. It also provides participants with an increased understanding of their individual strengths and talents as leaders in higher education. And it helps build relationships within UK, among other potential academic leaders at universities within the SEC, and with experienced leaders across higher education. 

To be eligible for this program, you must: be a tenured full-time professor; have demonstrated leadership and decision-making abilities; have demonstrated success in your current position; and have an interest in a future administrative position. 

More information about the program, eligibility requirements and the application process can be found here. Applications are due May 8.

Our current four fellows from UK participating in the program are:

• Rae Goodwin — associate dean of research and creative activities, School of Art and Visual Studies, College of Fine Arts
• Anthony Limperos — chair, Department of Communication, College of Communication and Information
• Nicole McCoin — vice dean for faculty affairs and development, Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine
• Virginia Valentin — chair, Department of Physician Assistant Studies, College of Health Sciences

As educators and mentors for our students, as researchers, clinicians and extension professionals, it is vital that UK continues to support you in your careers as you continue building the skills necessary to lead our students, communities and institutions into the future. 

Thank you for continuing to help advance our university and our Commonwealth.

Robert DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

Dean Simon Sheather of the UK Gatton College of Business and Economics has announced his decision to retire effective June 30, 2026. Therefore, it is necessary to appoint an interim dean to lead the Gatton College of Business and Economics until a permanent dean is hired. Dr. Sheather has served as dean since July 2018, and we thank him for his years of service in this key leadership role for the University of Kentucky.  

Advisory Committee Nominations
 
I will be forming an advisory committee of faculty, staff and students from the Gatton College of Business and Economics and meet with them to solicit their recommended names of interim dean candidates. If you would like to nominate an individual(s) or yourself to serve on the advisory committee, please click here.

Interim Dean Nominations

In addition, anyone in the Gatton College of Business and Economics community is welcome to suggest names of candidates to serve as interim dean. Please click here to submit your recommendation for an interim dean, including a brief justification. Self-nominations are acceptable. All recommendations and justifications are treated confidentially. 

To ensure full consideration for both advisory committee membership and interim dean recommendations, please submit your nominations no later than noon on Monday, April 13. 
 
Based on the recommendations of the advisory committee and Gatton College of Business and Economics community, I will consider the names suggested and engage in conversations with candidates of interest. With this critical input, I will select an interim dean and announce the appointment soon thereafter.
 
Thank you very much for your assistance in this important matter.
 
Robert S. DiPaola  
Provost